This invention relates to a pipe or rod pushing and pulling apparatus useful for driving pipes, rods, or the like through the earth. It is particularly useful in laying pipelines or other conduits beneath paved highway surfaces because it avoids the necessity of digging up the ground surface to form a trench, with the resulting need for backfilling the earth and repaving the highway or sidewalk.
Known pipe pushing devices are generally anchored to the ground on which they rest, which often provides insufficient footing for driving pipes long distances through the earth. For this reason, it has been found advantageous to brace the pipe pusher against a wall or other reasonably stationary object.
Known pipe pushing devices of the type designed to be operated in subterranean pits have generally required a person to enter the pit during initial set-up to anchor the apparatus prior to operation. This necessitates an unreasonably large pit in the regions of the anchor points, which is unnecessary during operation of the apparatus.
Pipe pushers not designed to be anchored to the ground, such as those to be lowered from a boom, while avoiding the above problem, do not achieve the secure footing provided by anchored devices. Instead they are attached to mobile boom supports which are less easily aimed and are limited in depth of operation. Such devices are generally mounted on land vehicles, which may be impossible to use due to terrain conditions, adjacent buildings or other obstructions.